THE ABSENT

CRIPPLED HEARTS

SOLIDARITY WITH THE FLESH EATING MOSAIC AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju

Out Now

THE RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT NINNY AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju

My first book of poetry available through Amazon and other online booksellers www.rajbooks.com

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

RANDOM RECORD REVIEW - THIS GIRL'S IN LOVE WITH YOU BY ARETHA FRANKLIN

Earlier in her career, even after her shift to Atlantic Records in 1967, Aretha Franklin' s recordings often seemed like Gulliver struggling after being tied down by the Lilliputians. Her voice being Gulliver and the repetitive rhythm and blues arrangements, already formulaic, as well as the nagging, smothering backing vocals being the Lilliputians.

By 1970, she'd found a way forward. THIS GIRL'S IN LOVE WITH YOU is my favorite album of Aretha Franklin's even more so than I NEVER LOVED A MAN THE WAY I LOVED YOU or LADY SOUL because she takes a lot of chances here and shows impeccable taste in her choices of covers.

Her versions of The Dark End of The Street and Let It Be (recorded before The Beatles had released their version) are strong and her version of Burt Bacharach's This Girl's in Love With You (changed from Guy) is the definitive one IMO. I also prefer her version of The Weight to The Band's original. It just has more melodic vocal drama. I even like her Son of a Preacher Man a song I've never really cared for.

But the centerpiece of the record is an unusual but still powerful reading of Eleanor Rigby in which Aretha becomes the spinster character and states I AM ELEANOR RIGBY. It's weird but rocks and Franklin nails it. There are also a number of standard R&B fare which she sings the hell out of.